A Parrot, Understanding Who He Is,
Asks How to Escape the Cage
  
鹦鹉知音　问计出笼

On the road, he met a parrot imprisoned in a wicker cage. However, this bird was much more intelligent than the Dharma Master Shen Guang. Recognizing that Bodhidharma was a patriarch, the bird chirped,

走到半路上，遇到一只鹦鹉；这只鹦鹉被圈在笼子里，可是这只鸟比神光法师聪明得多，它认识达摩祖师是一位祖师，就说：

He Who Intentionally came from the West
Intentionally came from the West,
What method is best, if you please,
To escape this cage and leave?

西来意，西来意，请您教我出笼计。

Although Patriarch Bodhidharma hadn't been able to find any people who really understood who he was, this parrot definitely recognized him. He knew who he was.

你看达摩祖师对人没有知音，对小鸟，却遇到一个知音。什么叫知音？就是认识他。

Hearing the bird's plea for help, Bodhidharma was pleased and taught the bird an expedient method--a provisional, not a real, Dharma. He said,

达摩祖师一听，这只小鸟这样请教他，他也很高兴，就教它一个方便法──这不是实法，是权法。他说：

To escape the cage, to escape the cage;
Stick out both legs. Shut both eyes.
That is the way to escape from the cage!

出笼计，出笼计，两腿伸直两眼闭，这便是你出笼计。

It was a secret, wonderful formula--a secret Dharma. It's for sure the Patriarch whispered it. He didn't say it so loudly as I am speaking now! He certainly must have used a very small voice: "To escape the cage...that is the way to escape from the cage!" He spoke softly like that. Why? If he had said it out loud so that others could hear him, then the method would not have worked. From this we can see how much trouble the Patriarch took to be kind.

这好像秘密的妙诀，这是秘密法，所以他说话没有那么大声，我现在讲得恐怕比达摩祖师说的声音要大，他一定告诉那只小鸟说：“出笼计，……这便是你出笼计。”他一定是这样讲的，为什么？他的声音若是大了，会被旁人听见，那这个方法就行不通了。所以你看这个小地方，这位祖师真是用心良苦呀！